


I've Got You Now

by CrimsonNight14



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Alternate Universe - Lifeguards, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arin Hanson is Bullied, Arin Hanson is Pushed in the Ocean, Arin Hanson is Scared of the Ocean, Because Dan and Arin IRL are not okay with shipping, Bullying, Drowning, Gen, Happy Ending, High School Student Arin Hanson, Hurt/Comfort, Lifeguard Dan Avidan, Lifeguard Suzy Berhow, Lifeguards to the Rescue, Near Death Experiences, No One Actually Drowns, No Romance, Sitting On The Pier, Sophomore Arin Hanson, Walks On The Beach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:26:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27253393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrimsonNight14/pseuds/CrimsonNight14
Summary: It was supposed to be a fun family trip to the beach.16-year-old Arin Hanson kept telling himself on the long, dreaded car ride over that he would have fun. Well, at least he would try to. There's literally no way though that he'll go inside that horrible, frigid ocean with his parents and older brother. That's for sure. They could ask him a billion times, but he won't go in.So, how the hell did he end up not having any fun, but also nearly drowning in the ocean?*This story does not include any romantic relationships. Please don't ship real people, especially when it makes them uncomfortable like Arin and Dan*
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	I've Got You Now

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! :) Apparently, I literally can't stop writing Game Grumps stories, so here's another one! ;)
> 
> I don't usually do this, but I'm going to post a Trigger Warning for this story. There is both bullying and a near-drowning experience, so take care of yourselves <3
> 
> With that being said, I love you all and hope you enjoy!

Arin's pov

"Arin, are you coming into the water with us?" My mom asks sweetly, the sound of her voice causing my head to snap up, pulling my attention away from the drawing I was making in the sand.

A few feet away from me, I see my mom and dad standing next to each other, both in matching lime green swimwear, making them stand out greatly among the crowd. Slightly closer to the water stands Nate, my older brother, who, despite being in his early twenties, seems more eager to get in the frigid water than most nearby children.

"Thanks, but I think I'll stay out of the water today. It looks way too cold," I say with a small smile, feeling a little guilty for not taking part in the family outing, but knowing that, even though people go in the ocean every day, it's still scary as hell to me.

The ocean holds so many unknowns.

So many dangers.

I don't want any part of whatever lies beneath that murky blue surface.

"Okay, sweetie. Will you stay here with our stuff then?" My mom says in that same sweet tone, but I detect a hint of sadness in her hazel eyes, making me feel even more guilty.

I just can't help it though.

The ocean is fucking terrifying, and no one can make me say otherwise.

"Well, I was thinking of maybe taking a walk down by the pier," I say hesitantly, feeling like, if I'm not spending time with my family, I should probably just sit here, bored out of my mind.

"Have fun! Just be careful," my dad calls out with a smile as he begins walking toward the water, an excited Nate at his side.

"I'll be careful! Love you!" I shout to their retreating forms, excited by the idea of taking a walk on the pier.

While I might not like actually getting in the water, I think the ocean looks beautiful from on the pier. Up there, everything has a shimmering beauty, so unlike the dark depths once I'm actually swimming amidst the waves.

"Love you too!" My mom says with a large smile that shows off her perfectly-aligned off-white teeth, the sight of her sweet smile causes me to smile in return.

I can't help but roll my eyes fondly when I see my mom vigorously speed walking to catch up to my dad and Nate, both of who already are in the water up to their ankles.

After a few minutes of watching them play in the waves, splashing each other with the no doubt ice-cold water, I begin to feel a little lonely, wishing I could join them, but feeling too afraid of the waves to do so.

With a heavy sigh, I place my phone deep inside one of our bags, nestled within our blue and purple towels so no one sees it. It feels weird going anywhere without my phone but, considering the only people I would call are in the ocean without their phones, it seems pointless to bring it.

Feeling determined to have at least a little fun on our beach trip, I stand up beside our carefully laid out towels, taking great care in not kicking sand everywhere. 

Hoping that the pier will bring at least a little fun, I begin the five-minute trek through the sand, dully wondering why the beach has to be filled with so much sand.

All sand does is get everywhere, making me want to come back here even less than I already had.

Why can’t the beach just have normal ground like everywhere else?

While pushing away my annoyance at the sand I'm walking on, I watch the bustling crowds of people on the pier, most of them crowding the entrance, seeming too scared or lazy to go all the way out on the pier's walkway.

Even though I hate the ocean with a burning passion, I think standing at the edge of the pier is really nice and beautiful. Unlike at the entrance, I can feel the mist of the water spray my face, the salty smell assaulting my senses, but without being too overwhelming like it is from within the waves.

After another minute of walking, I reach the pier, squeezing in between crowds of people with my head down and gray hoodie pulled close to me, not wanting to talk to anyone here.

As I begin walking across the pier, the loud chatter and laughter of people fading into the background, I release a content sigh, feeling a heavy weight lift from my shoulders.

While I continue walking, I find myself getting lost in the sound of the waves gently breaking against the wood of the pier as it ebbs forward, then retreats back to the depths of the vast blue beyond.

It really does have a peaceful quality.

About a minute later, I reach the end of the pier and smile contentedly. 

As I stand about twenty feet away from the sandy shore, I suck in a deep breath of the salty air, feeling that familiar ocean mist starting to hug my body.

This is nice.

With my smile growing larger, I sit cross-legged on the pier, several feet away from the edge.

Y'know, for safety's sake, so I don't fall off and plummet to a watery death.

After a few more moments of watching the waves, my smile grows into a full-blown grin, feeling like, right at this moment, the only thing that exists is me and the ocean.

No responsibilities.

No attachments.

No people who like me.

No people who hate me.

Just me and the steadily crashing waves below.

Yeah, this is really nice.

For a long stretch of time, I just sit here with my eyes closed, basking in the calmness of the waves below. Without much difficulty, I ignore the fact that my hair and clothes are starting to become damp from the ocean spray, deciding that I'll deal with the uncomfortable wetness on the car ride home.

Right now, I realize that this is what peace feels like.

As another easy and happy smile slips onto my face, I can't help but wish that this moment would never end.

Wishing that I could just stay here forever.

Wishing that I don't have to return to school tomorrow. 

Wishing that I don't have to return to a life I hate.

Even though I know how impossible it is, I pretend like my life is out here on the sea.

That I'm a fisherman, who spends each day out here, admiring the ocean from afar.

Unlike people, the ocean wouldn't judge me.

I mean sure, the ocean is deadly and violent and I'm still fucking terrified of it. But, if I just stay far enough away from it like I am right now, I think I could really enjoy coming here.

But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

"Well well well, who do we have here?" An unfamiliar voice of a boy sneers, his voice accompanied by several heavy sets of footsteps approaching me.

Fucking hell.

Why do people from school have to be here?

Just when I had finally found someplace I liked, some dicks from my school had to show up and ruin everything.

Fucking unbelievable.

I swear, the universe absolutely hates me sometimes.

I just stay silent, hoping that, if I ignore these boys, they will get tired of me and leave me alone.

Please, just leave me alone.

Even though I try not to react to their presence, I feel my muscles tense instinctively, my relaxed posture leaving immediately as I feel the phantom blows start to rain over me.

Please, don't hurt me.

Not here.

Not now.

Not when I'm so close to the water below, the thing that terrifies me the most.

"You think you can just ignore me, you little bitch?!" The mysterious boy who spoke first, who is most likely a senior, making him so much older than me, shouts as he continues approaching me.

I can't help but flinch at his words, wishing I knew what they wanted from me.

Wishing that I know how to make them go away. 

I don't even know their fucking names, but here they are, insisting on making my life a living hell.

I just stay quiet, not wanting to engage them.

Not wanting to make them angrier with me.

I can't help but feel more and more terrified with each passing moment, the crashing of the waves below seeming to grow louder and more threatening as they draw nearer.

As I just sit here, I begin curling in on myself, praying to anyone listening that they just leave me alone.

That they won't hurt me.

A few seconds later, my desperate pleas go unanswered as I feel several hands grab my arms yanking me to my feet roughly.

"Pl-please," I beg as I stare at the damp oak-wood planks below us, unable to look into cold eyes that I know will lack any shred of kindness.

"Oh, now you're not ignoring me? Now you're gonna beg like a fucking pussy?" The boy asks in a deep taunting voice as his friends holding onto my arms laugh cruelly.

Against my will, tears rapidly race down my cheeks, blending with the salty ocean spray clinging to me.

I fucking hate feeling so helpless and worthless.

I don't respond to his words, my throat feeling too tight from both fear and the sobs threatening to break free.

"So, why don't you tell me why you're all alone up here? You could be enjoying the nice water down there, y'know," He asks in a cruel tone, his words causing me to fill with absolute dread.

Fucking hell, this asshole might actually throw me in the ocean.

Feeling absolutely terrified, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind, "Please, no. I don't know how to swim."

"You don't know how to swim?! That's fucking pathetic!" The boy exclaims with a loud, mocking laugh, the fact that he finds amusement from this makes me feel even more afraid of him.

I know absolutely nothing about this boy and his friends, but they might be the last people I see before I die.

Oh fuck, I might die today...

Beginning to panic, I fight with all my might to free my arms from his friends' grasps.

After a few seconds of not breaking free, my panic intensifies, causing me to start screaming for someone to help me at the top of my lungs.

In a cruel twist of fate, the sounds of the ocean, which I once found beautiful, drown out the sounds of my desperate cries for help, leaving me completely at the mercy of these assholes.

After a few minutes of screaming for help without receiving any sign of being heard, I give up.

Even though I know how pathetic I must look, I start to sob loudly, my entire body trembling from fear now.

This fucking sucks!

Please, I just want to go home.

I don’t want to be here.

Please, just go away.

"Wow, now you're crying like a fucking pussy?! What are you so scared of, huh? You think we might push you in the water?" He asks in that same mocking tone, his words making me feel even worse, the self-loathing mingling with my terror in the worst ways.

I just weakly nod my head as I continue crying, too upset to verbalize a response.

Suddenly, the boy holding my right arm releases me, muttering in a high pitched and scared voice, "I can't do this. This is fucked up. If he really can't swim, I don't want to be charged for murder or some shit like that."

His words fill me with hope, desperately willing him to talk some sense into the others.

Please, stop them from doing this to me. 

Even though I know how to swim, I absolutely suck at it. With how far away from the shore we are, being pushed into the water would mean nothing other than death for me.

"He's right, we can't do this," the other boy says in a deep, worried voice as he also releases my arms.

Dully, I realize that I could walk away now, but I don't move, my fear keeping me frozen in place as I continue to sob and tremble violently.

"Fine, you don't have to do anything then," the lead boy says in a cruel, unforgiving tone, sounding infinitely pissed that his so-called friends aren't following his every command.

Before I can even think to run away from these boys, I find the inside of an arm wrapped around my throat, suddenly dragging me closer to the edge of the pier.

"This is fucking crazy! Stop!" One of the boys shouts as I struggle with all my might to break free, feeling my fear tenfold.

He's going to kill me.

I'm going to die today in the fucking ocean.

Fucking hell.

Please, not like this.

I begin screaming, scratching at anything that I can find purchase on, but he doesn't let go, using his strength and age to his advantage, overpowering me without effort.

"Relax, I'm not actually going to throw you in. I just want to have a little fun with you," The boy snickers in my ear, but I don't believe him, knowing that, if he was telling the truth, we wouldn't be getting closer to the water.

Suddenly, I find myself at the edge of the pier, only the heels of my feet touching the wood beneath us, making it to where, if he releases me, I'll fall into the water.

Feeling like I am on the brink of a panic attack, I whisper in a rush, "Please, I can't fucking swim. You're going to kill me. Don't fucking kill me."

He just laughs, full-blown laughs at my attempts to reason with him, the sick, mirthless sounds making my panic build. 

This boy is fucking insane! 

He's a full-blown psychopath!

I'm going to die.

"Well, if you don't know how to swim, what better time to learn," the boy says lightly, a sickening smirk heard clearly in his voice.

Before I can do anything, the arm wrapped around my throat is gone, suddenly leaving me weightless.

As I begin rapidly plummeting toward the surface of the ocean, I hear loud, terrified screaming.

I can't tell if the screaming is from me or someone else, but, regardless, it causes the reality of this situation to sink in.

I'm actually going to die.

Some asshole boy from my school just fucking killed me.

Fuck! 

I don't want to die!

Before my panic can overtake me, I gulp in a large breath of oxygen, then hold it in, knowing that this breath could very well be my last.

Just seconds later, I collide with the ocean water, my feet and legs tingling and stinging from the harsh impact.

Instantly, as my entire body is submerged within the frigid water, I fight back a scream with all my willpower, knowing that I can't afford to lose precious oxygen this early. 

I squeeze my eyes shut tightly against the harsh sting of the seawater, desperately swimming in the direction that I hope is up.

Meanwhile, the waves surrounding me pound and roar.

Relentless.

Unforgiving.

Merciless.

With every hopeful thought that I might break the surface, might escape the suffocating darkness of the depths, my hope is shattered, another wave pulling me below.

With each passing second, the tightness in my chest builds, accompanied by an intense and all-encompassing pounding behind my temple.

This is it.

I’m dying.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck!

With renewed energy, desperately not wanting to die, I kick upward with all my might. 

By some magical stroke of luck, I finally break the surface, allowing me to breathe again.

I suck in a huge gulp of oxygen but, as I try to take in another, my head is pushed below the surface again by another large, relentless wave.

Within my haze of panic and terror, I feel myself spin and flip under the water, becoming disoriented as the tightness in my chest once again returns.

Please.

I don’t want to die.

Not like this.

Not because that asshole I barely even know pushed me off the fucking pier.

Even though I feel my limbs growing heavier with fatigue, I keep fighting, keep swimming in the direction that I hope like hell is upward.

Wouldn’t it be a cruel joke if I was fighting to go deeper rather than break the surface?

After a few more seconds of trying to find the surface in vain, I open my eyes, ignoring the stinging that immediately appears as I try to find any source of light.

Much to my dismay, there's no light anywhere.

All I see is deep, dark blue waters.

I’m going to die.

I continue trying to swim, but I can barely even lift my arms, barely even kick my legs anymore, feeling so fatigued, disoriented, and lightheaded.

This is it.

I tried, but, of course, it wasn't good enough.

I'm dying.

Fucking hell, I'm really dying.

Suddenly, as my panicked thoughts continue spiraling, I see a blurry figure approaching me underneath the water.

What the hell?

Is that... an angel?

Shit, am I already dead?

I open my mouth, hoping to call out to this person for help, but a rush of salty water gushes down my throat, causing my eyes and sinuses to burn fiercely as I crave oxygen even more desperately.

Strong, and very real-feeling, arms wrap around my waist, the feeling of it causing me to fight harder, unsure if this person is here to help me or if it’s one of those hellish boys looking to hurt me more.

Despite telling myself that I need to get this person away from me, I'm too weak to do anything more than clutch tightly to their shoulders and weakly kick my legs behind me in a futile attempt to help this person carry our combined weight.

Just as I feel everything becomes more distant and faint, my vision graying out completely, my head breaks the surface of the waves.

With all the fervor of a dying man, I greedily gulp in oxygen, dully realizing that I'm coughing and hacking all over my savior.

As I fight to breathe, I just rest my head against the solid chest of my savior, noticing that their chest is rising and falling rapidly like my own.

This person saved my life.

They jumped into the ocean, risked drowning too, to save me.

Holy shit.

Someone saved me.

I'm not dead.

I'm alive.

I'm fucking alive!

I open my mouth to thank this person, but all that comes out is more strangled hacking, my chest and throat still desperately craving oxygen after so long spent trapped beneath the waves.

“You okay, Kid?” The deep, raspy voice of a man asks kindly, the sound of his voice so close to my ear startles me.

Unable to find the strength to verbally respond, I just whimper, feeling anything but “okay” right now.

The man releases a weak chuckle before muttering, “Yeah, I feel that too. You’re a real trooper, you know that? You were down there quite a while before I was able to help you.”

His words cause me to smile weakly, so thankful that this kind stranger saved me.

Without him, I would be dead by now.

Fuck, I don't want to die.

Please, don’t let me go.

I can’t help but hold onto the fabric of his shirt a little tighter, desperate to not slip between the waves again.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you now,” the kind man whispers as his arms around my waist tighten, helping to reassure me that he won’t let me go. “There’s another lifeguard coming to help us right now. She’ll be here any minute to help get you back to shore.” 

Suddenly, everything clicks in my mind, realizing that this man who saved me is a lifeguard.

No wonder he jumped in this hellish ocean to save me. 

He was just doing his job.

“Th-thank-k-ks” I whisper between violently chattering teeth, my voice terribly hoarse, that one word causing me tremendous pain.

“You’re welcome," the man says with a sad smile heard in his voice, the sound of it makes me want to raise my head, to look at the face of my savior, but I am unable too, just the thought of moving the slightest bit makes me feel even more exhausted.

Then, while sounding angry, the man passionately continues, "I saw what those boys did to you. Fucking dicks. Even if my job wasn’t to save people, I’m sure I would have jumped in after you. I’m so sorry that happened.” 

I don’t say anything in response, just continue breathing against his chest, thankful that it’s air entering my lungs rather than the dreaded salty seawater.

For about a minute there is silence, the only sounds around us the steady crash of the waves and my still labored breathing.

“I’m Dan, by the way,” the man softly says with a smile heard in his voice, his words causing me to smile weakly.

Dan.

Dan the lifeguard.

The man who saved my life.

After sucking in a deep breath, ignoring the terrible burn in my throat, I weakly whisper, “A-rin-n.”

“Hey, Arin. It's nice to meet you. Wish it could have been through less life-threatening conditions though,” Dan says with what sounds like a large smile, chuckling softly at his own words.

My weak smile returns at his words, deciding that I like Dan.

Even if I ignore the fact that he's literally the only reason I'm still alive, I think I would like him.

After another minute or so of silence, in a slightly strained tone, Dan whispers, “Hey, I don’t mean to alarm you, and I’m sure you’re tired, but do you think you could try kicking your legs so we can move a little closer to the shore? I don’t see any sign of Suzy yet, and I’m starting to get a little tired. We’re technically not allowed to jump in without our proper equipment, but I just couldn’t leave you in the water any longer when you clearly needed help.”

With alarm, I realize that Dan has been treading water this whole time, keeping us afloat through his own strength, not any flotation devices.

Damn, he really risked his life to save mine.

As much as I don’t want to swim anymore, feeling so utterly spent and exhausted, I know that I have to.

I can’t just be dead weight for Dan to carry, especially after he risked his life to help me.

Without a word, I begin slowly kicking my heavy legs, feeling triumphant when Dan kindly says, “There you go, Arin. You’re doing wonderful. Let’s get you back onshore now.”

As I continue kicking my legs, still clutching tightly to Dan’s front, I feel his legs gently brush along the outside of my own, both of us swimming in tandem to reach the shore.

After a few minutes, I hear splashing other than our current sounds, instantly putting me on guard.

Please, don’t tell me there’s a fucking shark.

Don’t make me hate the ocean even more than I already do.

“Heya, Scuze! Great to see you, I’m exhausted,” Dan shouts with what sounds like a large smile, seeming very glad to see this person.

This must be the other lifeguard Dan talked about.

“Hi, Danny! Well, I’m here now, and I actually brought equipment to help us,” I hear a female voice call out, the kindness and teasing tone of her voice instantly helps me feel safer, even though I'm still in the middle of the fucking ocean.

“Thanks, you’re a life-saver,” Dan says with a cheeky grin, his words causing the girl to laugh sweetly and me to release an amused huff, unable to believe he's making jokes right now.

I can't deny that I appreciate the jokes though.

“I try to be,” the girl says with a smile heard in her voice, her joking tone causing me to smile slightly, thankful that these two came to save me.

“Hi, Sweetheart,” the girl says after a few minutes of silence aside from the crashing waves, her voice sounding much closer than before, causing me to realize that she is probably addressing me.

“H-h-hey,” I mutter weakly through chattering teeth, still feeling completely chilled to the bone and zapped of all energy.

“Arin, this is Suzy,” Dan kindly whispers as he gives my waist a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “She’s going to help us get to the shore.”

I just squeeze his shoulder weakly in response, feeling much too exhausted to properly greet Suzy.

After a few seconds of me remaining silent, Dan clears his throat before confidently saying, “Alright, Arin, let’s do this. I’m going to let go of your waist, but Suzy will be holding onto you, so you won’t be going anywhere. Then, we’ll put the life-preserver around you and we can all swim back to shore. How does that sound?"

"K-kay," I mumble as I relax my grip around his back slightly, not liking the idea of letting Dan go, but willing to do so if that's what it takes to keep us all from sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

Yeah, I'd do a hell of a lot to keep from sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

"Great, thanks for your cooperation, Arin. Most people freak out way more than you have, so we appreciate your calmness," Dan says with a smile as he releases my waist, instead grabbing my left arm, causing me to reluctantly release his shoulders.

Somehow, now that I am no longer holding Dan close to me, the coldness of the ocean seeps even further into my bones.

As they gently slip the life-preserver over my head and slightly raised arms, my teeth begin to chatter violently without stopping, shivers coursing through my poor, exhausted body.

Once the life-preserver is snugly situated around my waist, keeping me afloat without having to kick my feet anymore, I release a heavy sigh of relief, for the first time truly believing that I'm going to make it through this.

Now that I am safely floating above the waves, the life-preserver with a long chord held tightly in Suzy's hand and Dan's hand still gripping my left arm, a flood of emotions hit me.

Suddenly, even though I know no one has said anything funny, I begin laughing.

"There it is," Dan mutters after a minute or so of me laughing uncontrollably as we start approaching the shore.

I begin to laugh even harder at Dan's words, unable to contain my joy at being alive still.

Life fucking sucks sometimes, but drowning sucks a hell of a lot more!

"You okay, Ar?" Dan asks in a slightly labored voice, seeming exhausted from helping Suzy swim with me acting as dead weight.

But I'm not dead!

I'm so fucking alive!

I open my mouth to respond, but the only noise that escapes is more frantic and hoarse laughter.

Through my panic, I dully realize that something is wrong with me. 

Nothing funny has been said, so why can't I stop laughing?

Is something wrong with me?

Am I going insane?

Did the lack of oxygen damage my brain cells?

Oh fuck, what if I never stop laughing?!

Everyone will think I've lost my fucking mind.

Have I?

Yeah, I think the whole near-drowning fucked up my head.

Fan-fucking-tastic!

"Arin, hey, I know it's hard, but please, calm down. You're hyperventilating," I hear a slightly familiar voice say, his words cutting through my panic.

One minute I was laughing, now suddenly I find myself gripping tightly to my chest, hoping that I can find some way to force oxygen to enter my lungs.

Why can't I breathe?!

Oh fuck, am I drowning again?!

While I’m helpless to stop it, my vision begins to darken, gray spots filling everything, blocking out the blue hues of the ocean.

Even though I can't see the water, the roaring and pounding of the waves are deafening, the sound filling every inch of my soul, leaving room for nothing else, the waves invading every part of my body once again.

I continue gasping in vain for air, wishing that I could breathe in precious oxygen. Instead, an intense burning sensation fills my lungs and throat, afterward spreading the firey pain throughout the rest of my body.

"ARIN!" A voice shouts, the sound, so much clearer than it should be underwater, instantly rips me from my thoughts.

My eyes fly open in panic, looking for whoever called my name.

Maybe they can save me from drowning.

Please.

I don't want to drown.

"Arin, breathe. In. Out," the same man says, his voice, which is still so clear for being underwater, commands that I listen to him.

Even though the thought of purposely sucking in the salty ocean water terrifies me, I do as he asks, taking in a big gulp of… air?

The second the air reaches my lungs, I begin coughing violently, quickly repeating the process, desperately trying to breathe again, before the relentless waves begin to suffocate me some more.

"Perfect, Arin. Just like that. In. Out. In… Out…" that same voice kindly says, with each word passing he begins to seem more and more familiar to me.

Just like this person asks, I continue breathing with him, feeling a little calmer after each breath that reaches my lungs without being ripped away by the waves surrounding us.

Waves?

Where am I?

Suddenly, like a truck slamming into my chest, the fatigue and utter exhaustion I feel hits me all at once, the pain and residual panic almost stealing my breath away yet again.

I almost drowned.

Those dicks from school pushed me off the pier.

I could have died.

I should have died.

But Dan saved me.

Dan.

"Dan!" I exclaim in fear, shouting as loud as my abused voice will let me.

I open my eyes, searching desperately for the man who saved my life, but everything is too blurry, only a blob of blue surrounding me.

Where is he?

Is he not here?

Am I all alone in the ocean?

Am I going to die?

Fuck, I’m going to die out here!

"Hey, hey, it's okay, Ar," Dan says in a kind but firm whisper as I feel a cold, wrinkled hand cup the side of my face.

Quickly, I move my left hand to wrap around his wrist, terrified that, if I let him go, I'll start to drown again.

"I'm right here," Dan says in that same kind tone, his voice filling me with relief and warmth, helping to drive away some of the zapping coldness that has settled into every inch of my body.

"Pl-please," I beg as I grab his arm with both hands, clutching tightly to him for dear life, knowing that he is the only thing keeping me from sinking beneath the surface again.

"Shhhhh, it's okay,” Dan says in a reassuring tone and, even though the remaining panic makes it hard to focus, I find myself hanging on his every word. “I've got you now. We've got you. I know you're scared, but you're safe now. We're almost back to the shore. You're not going to drown, I promise." 

"B-but I st-st-started to d-drown-n ag-g-gain," I say in a panicked whisper, the cold once again causing me to stutter as I try to speak through the residual terror.

"No, you didn't, Ar," Dan says as he tenderly runs his thumb across my cheek, his words surprising me as he continues, "Suzy and I have been swimming to shore with you this whole time. Ever since I found you, you've been in no danger. I think you had a panic attack. Rightfully so, considering you just went through a near-death-experience. You didn't start to drown again, even though it may have felt that way since you couldn't breathe."

I… I really didn't start to drown again?

I just made that shit up?

Damn, the lack of oxygen fucked up my brain! 

Isn't that fun?!

"H-H-Hom-me?" I ask in a shaky whisper as I release Dan's wrist, just wanting to get out of this hellish body of water and pretend like none of this ever happened.

Well, except for the part where Dan and I met.

If I could forget the whole drowning part and just become friends with him, that would be perfect.

"Of course. We'll be back on land in a few minutes at the most. I'm sure your family will be thrilled to see you're okay," Dan says as he moves his hand from my cheek, instead grabbing the life-preserver, his knuckles grazing the skin of my left ribs occasionally as we begin swimming onward.

Just as Dan promised, only a few minutes later, I feel my legs begin to graze the sand below.

Wait… sand!

I never thought I would be so happy to see this coarse shit that gets literally anywhere, but any solid ground is amazing right now.

Against my will, a sob tears through my chest as I stand on my own two feet, the sand beneath my feet feeling heavenly after so long of being unable to touch the ground.

"Come on, you. We're almost there," Dan says with a soft chuckle as his hand finds mine underneath the water, our cold, wrinkled fingers locking together, the contact giving me the strength to make it through the rest of this journey.

Numbly, I let Dan slowly pull me toward the shore, thankful that, even with how tired I am, I can put one foot in front of the other, walking of my own accord rather than being tossed around by the waves.

"T-th-thanks-s" I mumble to Dan as we continue trudging forward, feeling so fucking thankful for what he did today.

As we slowly walk, I realize that, even though I owe Dan my life, I don't even know what he looks like.

I don't even know anything about him.

"You're very welcome, Arin," Dan easily says, sounding genuinely happy to have helped me today. “Suzy and I are more than happy to help.”

Then, while sounding extremely nervous, Dan whispers, "I'm not really supposed to say this, but I like you, Arin. I think that, if we had met in different circumstances, we would be really good friends. I understand if you never want to come back here again after what happened today, but, if you're looking for a friend, I'm here every day."

His words shock me, certainly not expecting this man, who surely has more important things to be doing, to want to be my friend.

I must have misheard him... 

Right?

Even though I can't wrap my mind around the why, I can’t help but hope that I heard what he said right.

That he wants to be my friend.

That, if we had met someplace else, we really would have hit it off.

"Y-yes," I mumble with a tired smile, wanting to say so much more, but too exhausted to voice it.

"Great! Well, I'm looking forward to getting to know you better! You look like you could use a good friend," Dan says excitedly, his words filling me with immense joy.

Wow, not only did I not drown, but I also made a new friend. 

And he's a cool-ass-lifeguard!

Before I can even think to say anything else, I hear a familiar woman shout, "Arin! Sweetheart!"

My head snaps up immediately, looking for my mom as I stumble through the waist-height water, but I am unable to find her, my vision still too blurry to make anything out other than smears of blues and browns.

A low whine escapes my throat, feeling so stupid and helpless that I can't even find my own mom right now.

"Hey, it's okay, we'll reach her really soon,” Dan says as he gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, seeming to know right away when I am stressed or worried. “I think the saltwater might have hurt your eyes, but it should clear up in no time." 

I just nod my head slightly, hoping that he is right, that I won't be blind once this is all said and done.

That would fucking suck.

After traveling a few more feet, the water only reaches up to my knees, the feeling of no longer being surrounded by the waves brings me so much relief.

I'm back on land.

I'm not in the water anymore.

I'm not going to drown.

I'm alive.

I'm stilling fucking terrified, exhausted, and freezing, but I'm alive.

Suddenly, I am pulled from my thoughts by a strong pair of arms wrapping around me, the force of his hug almost sending me sprawling backward into the shallow waves.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Nate exclaims in a loud shaky voice as he hugs me tightly. "You had us so fucking worried. Don't ever do that again!"

Feeling absolutely stunned, I slowly wrap my hands around Nate's back, relishing in the warm feeling of his body wrapped around me.

It's okay now.

I'm alive.

Nate's here with me.

It's going to be okay.

"Oh, Sweetheart, are you okay?!" My mom asks in a loud, panicked voice as a second pair of arms wrap around me.

I open my mouth to reassure her that I'm okay, but no words come out, just a low, pained whine, the effort of trying to speak becoming too much for me.

Suddenly, my knees give out from underneath me, sending all my weight crashing into Nate's chest.

"Whoa, easy there," Nate says in a surprised and concerned whisper as he gently helps me to my knees.

Feeling too exhausted to do anything else, I just lean my full weight against his chest, shivering violently as my teeth continuously chatter.

"Here, give this to him," my dad whispers in a concerned tone from a little ways away, the sound of his familiar baritone voice causing me to feel better.

My family is here.

It's okay.

I'm going to be okay.

With great care, Nate leans back from me slightly, draping a dry towel over my shoulders.

Weakly, I clutch at the ends of the towel, pulling it tightly against me as I continue leaning against Nate's chest.

Once I have the towel situated around my upper body, Nate wraps his arms around my back again, helping me feel warmer as we sit on the sand together.

"Thank you for saving our son," my mom whispers gratefully, her voice choked with emotion, sounding like she is on the brink of tears. "I don't know what I would have done if he-"

Suddenly, my mom stops talking, a weak and muffled sob cutting off her words.

"It's okay, Mar," my dad whispers encouragingly as he no doubt holds my mom, but I hear a slight hitch in his voice that tells me he is close to crying as well.

Then, while addressing Dan and Suzy, my dad quietly continues, "Yes, thank you so much for saving Arin. We owe you both so much."

"Nonsense," Dan says in a kind, but adamant tone the second my dad finishes speaking. "My job is to save people like your son. Bringing families back together like this is the only payment I need. You don't owe me anything."

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Suzy says with a soft, melodic chuckle, a smile clearly heard in her voice. “We were more than happy to help Arin.”

"Still, thank you," Nate whispers softly from right beside my ear, the sound of his voice causing his chest to rumble pleasantly. "You two saved my brother's life."

"It was our pleasure," Dan softly says, a large smile heard in his voice.

"D-Dan-n?" I quietly ask through still-chattering teeth, having so much I want to say to the man who saved my life, but feeling too exhausted to properly do so.

"Yeah, Arin?" Dan asks in a quiet and reassuring tone from close by me.

Slowly, I untangle myself from Nate's protective grip on me, wanting to hug Dan one more time before getting the fuck out of here.

Slowly, I open my eyes to find him, but everything is still too blurry, just smears of browns and blues everywhere.

Weakly, I reach out my hand in what I hope is his general direction.

Within seconds, Dan's hand finds mine, his long, still-frigid fingers intertwine with my own, instantly making me feel safer.

Slowly, I scoot toward him and wrap my arms around his chest in a gigantic hug, so thankful that he helped me today.

So thankful that he saved my life.

With a soft chuckle, Dan wraps his arms around me, carefully repositioning the towel so it rests snugly on my shoulders.

As I lay my head against his chest, allowing me to feel the steady beat of his heart, I begin to feel at peace, much like when I first walked out on that pier.

Right now, sitting here in Dan's arms, I feel safe.

And maybe that's stupid.

Maybe I shouldn't feel safer in this stranger's arms than I do with my own family.

But I do.

Right now, it feels like nothing can hurt me.

If Dan was able to save me from drowning, one of the worst fates to exist, I believe that he can save me again.

And maybe I don't know him right now, but I sure as hell want to.

"I've got you now," Dan murmurs reassuringly as he begins rubbing small, comforting circles against my lower back.

"I know," I whisper with a small smile, truly believing that he's got me.

Right now, sitting here with Dan and my family, I know that it'll be okay.

It'll be okay.

I'm alive.

I'm safe.

I'm okay.

Because they've got me now.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, there we have it! My second completed Game Grumps Oneshot! Woooooo! :)
> 
> I've had this story in progress for several weeks now, so I'm so glad that I've finished it and shared it with all of you! I hope you liked it! :)
> 
> As always, thank you to everyone for reading, commenting, and leaving kudos. Y'all are beautiful and I appreciate each and every one of you! <3 <3 <3
> 
> Looking forward to seeing you all in future stories of mine! :D
> 
> \- Crimson


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